On the flip side, the players who stand to benefit the most from recent additions might just be a trio of future Hall of Famer quarterbacks staring headlong into an opportunity to cement their legacies with another Super Bowl ring or two.

3. Rob Ryan, New Orleans Saints: In his Big Easy debut, Ryan improved the Saints' defense from 32nd to fourth in total yards. While pulling off that trick, Ryan turned rookie Kenny Vaccaro into one of the most versatile defensive weapons in the league. With Jairus Byrd now joining Vaccaro to rival the Seahawks' dynamic safety duo, Ryan can get even more creative with his schemes in 2014.

9. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins: Tannehill led the league in sacks absorbed and yards lost due to sacks as his offensive line devolved into a season-long soap opera. He now has a top-tier blindside protector in Branden Albert and a starting guard in Shelley Smith. The next step is adding a right tackle.

General manager Reggie McKenzie rallied from an early free agency misstep, landing three offensive linemen, a quality wide receiver, two proven pass rushers and a starting cornerback. While the organization still lacks a single young difference-making talent, this is closer to a .500 team than last year's four-win squad. Fair or not, Allen has no more excuses.